


Night Vale protects it's own

by I_is_a_freak



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: M/M, Past Abuse, implied ritual sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-05
Updated: 2013-08-05
Packaged: 2017-12-22 11:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/912773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_is_a_freak/pseuds/I_is_a_freak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cecil announced on the radio today the arrival of a newcomer to town, complete with a startlingly detailed physical description.</p>
<p>A very familiar physical description.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Night Vale protects it's own

**Author's Note:**

> For Kinkmeme prompt
> 
> Scientific curiosity wasn't the only reason Carlos jumped on the opportunity to study Night Vale - he also used it to escape his obsessive, abusive ex-boyfriend. The town is far enough off the map that it's nearly impossible to find, so he thought he would finally be safe. Things were going great, too: interesting job, wonderfully loving new boyfriend that he moved in with a couple months ago... and then one day while he's at the lab, he hears Cecil announce on the radio the arrival of a newcomer to town, complete with a startlingly detailed physical description.
> 
> A very familiar physical description. 
> 
> Carlos proceeds to lock all the doors, windows, ventilation shafts, and escape hatches, refreshes the blood pentagrams and salt lines, then quietly hyperventilates in the bathroom until Cecil comes home. 
> 
> Carlos sits Cecil down and very seriously asks if the Sheriff's Secret Police will enforce out-of-state restraining orders, because he really doesn't want to have to move again to escape his ex - not when he's finally found a place that (however inexplicably) feels like home.
> 
> Nothing in Night Vale has ever terrified him as much as his ex, not even The Librarians or Valentine's Day. 
> 
> Luckily, he doesn't have to worry in the end: Night Vale protects it's own.
> 
> Up to anon if it's as simple as Cecil getting the ex run out of town like Tulley the Barber (Tulley! *shakes fist*) or something far more painfully permanent that the citizens/town as a whole participate in. Messy ritual sacrifices welcome.
> 
> Bonus points for random, passing references to Cecil's various non-human appendages/extra eyes/bio-luminescence/mobile sentient tattoos/etc. - subtle emphasis on Carlos having accepted these things and that the general unreality that is Night Vale has become oddly comforting to him.

When Cecil came home, to his perfect home with his perfect life-partner, he found his door had three separate wards painted on it. This was a little excessive as the regular ward covered a broader range of demons and sprites but he was sure that whoever or whatever had done this have very good reasons. He tried to open the front door with his keys but the door would not budge. Strange, Carlos' car was parked, if not haphazardly, in the drive way which meant that he was home.

When Cecil got to the living room, through a side window that he had to break with a stone, it was like a blanket monster had descended in the living room. Pillows and sheets had been thrown all over the furniture. 

"Carlos? Are you there?"

"Cecil?" a tiny voice could be heard through the many layers of cloth. Cecil moved around the structure and found a flap.

"Is it okay if I come in, Carlos?" Cecil didn’t want to assume as he had not seen this type of behaviour in his favourite scientist.

"Only if you're the real Cecil; I will be about to tell."

Cecil got down on his hands and knees and crawled into the opening. There he was, perfect Carlos, pointing a meat cleaver at the entrance. He didn’t seem to want to lower it.

"I promise it’s me, sweet Carlos." Cecil looked at his eyes. He had never seen anything like it before. Cecil had seen him afraid but Carlos' perfect eyes normally held such wonder and excitement it made the afraid seem so small. Cecil could not find a trace of any of those emotions in his eyes. Carlos was really terrified. 

The cleaver wobbled a bit before Carlos slowly lowered it. Cecil took that as a sign to move closer until he was sitting right next to his partner. He put his hands around the scientist’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

“Wait, Cecil, I need to ask something.” Carlos pushed away.

“Anything, dear Carlos.” Cecil saw Carlos flinch at the endearment and started to fear something very terrible was happening.

“Cecil, if I have a restraining order, from outside Nightvale, will the council and the Sheriff’s Secret Police still enforce it?” 

“Of course they will. I mean, it’s better to go to town hall and fill in the appropriate paperwork and do the fitting chants. That way they can be aware of this person before it becomes a problem but as long as you have some sort of valid paperwork they can take action.”

“I don’t need a sample of blood or hair from the other person?”

“No and once everything has been approved, that person’s blood or hair and even astral projection can’t go anywhere near you without serious consequences.”

That seemed to relax Carlos somewhat, “You’re not making that up to make me feel better, right?”

“Carlos,” Cecil replied in a stern tone, “I am a journalist and reporter, I cannot lie.”

That of course was a lie in itself but had the desired effect. Carlos carefully put the cleaver to the side and dove into Cecil for a hug; which Cecil was more than happy to return. Cecil was slightly alarmed when Carlos started shaking but was relieved when it was just due to crying. Carlos had explained that, sometimes to release the tension of a particularly stressful day, he would let the day flow out of him in the salty fluid produced by his eyes. Cecil just stoked Carlos’ perfect hair and held on.

They sat like that for a while; just them under a sea of linen.

“Carlos, why did you empty our cupboard on to the living room?” 

Carlos gave a little laugh, “It’s a blanket fort. When I was little and something scared me I would make one and curl up with book till I felt better.” 

“And by book you mean meat cleaver?”

Carlos giggled which made Cecil feel much better about his partner’s mental health.

“I thought someone was going to break in and hurt me. So I got a weapon and hid myself.”

“You hid in a pile of laundry?”

“I guess I wasn’t thinking to clearly when I got home.”

The two of them looked at each other then burst into laughter.

“I’ll get dinner started.” Cecil kissed Carlos’ cheek.

Carlos turned and gave him a proper kiss, “Okay, I’ll clean up this mess.”

Cecil stole another kiss before leaving the fort. He helped Carlos up and gave him a quick hug.

“I was thinking burgers?” Cecil asked. Carlos nodded and moved to untie the nearest blanket. Cecil started gathering the pots and pans when he heard Carlos speak.

“His name was Paul.” Cecil stopped what he was doing to listen. He stopped at the threshold of the kitchen to see Carlos was moving slowly through the lounge folding sheets.

“A friend introduced us at a party in collage and I liked him straight away and I guess he liked me back. We started hanging out and going for coffee. He seemed to understand my love of science and not care that sometimes I would lose track of time in the lab. We started dating two months later.”

“He got an important job which had good hours and paid well. He began to insist on meeting for lunch on time and would get sad when if I missed them. I tried to keep better track of the time, it was the least I could do but some days it was hard.”

“We moved in together 3 months after that. I was a college student so rent and bills and stuff were draining me and we spent so much time together that it just made sense. He worked long days so I tried to be home to make dinner for him and he liked that. We would eat then he would sit on the couch watching TV while I was doing my homework.” 

“He would keep asking me where I was going; I thought it was because he was concerned. So much that when I got caught up with a professor and got home after him he was mad. He was so mad. He wanted to know who I was with and told me that I couldn’t hang around certain people and more because he didn’t like them. “

“I made him mad a lot. When I got the wrong foods and beer or when the house chores weren’t done, he especially hated me being late. One time he got so mad he hit me; I was an hour late from the lab so I thought I deserved it. I tried so hard to stop being late so he won’t get mad. I was glad when I had finished the testing part of my PhD so I could just stay home but then he would get mad at other things. He would hurt me a lot and every time he said it was for my own good.” 

“Then one day I realised that I hadn’t gone to the theatre in over two years. I hadn’t gone to coffee with any of my friends; I don’t think I even had friends at that stage. But I didn’t leave; I should have but I couldn't. I just couldn’t. Where could I go, I had no one to turn to.”

“My sister invited me to her wedding one day. Paul said I couldn't go and when I disagreed he beat me. Lying on the floor, I thought "this time I’m leaving." The Friday before the wedding he went out with work friends so I packed everything I could fit into a bag and left. I got on a flight and went to my parents. I wanted to turn back so many times. I kept thinking "he'll be so mad when he gets home" but the thought that stopped me was "he wouldn’t know I’m gone till the next day after he's slept off the hangover."”

“My parents were so supportive; they didn’t let me book a flight back. They almost locked me in my room once to stop me going back. They held me through tantrums and breakdowns. They really helped me see that he was an asshole, a bad person. And I realized I deserved better, better than how he was treating me.”

“The college was supportive too. They let me work by correspondence to complete the rest of my PhD. I went back a year later for my defence, that I had to do in person and somehow he found out. He stalked me through the campus and even came up and yelled at me telling me to come home. Luckily my brother-in-law was with me at that time because I honestly thought I would have gone back to him. Frances took me to the police station and got me to fill out the paperwork for a restraining order.”

“I guess that was why it took me so long for me to realise I was in love with you, Cecil. You kept describing me as perfect and amazing and I’m not. I couldn’t handle it at first. Then I convinced myself we could be friends, maybe then you would see what I really was and stop with your obsession. You didn’t, and if anything, you got even worse, you know what I mean. So when I was lying on the bowling alley, almost dead, I thought of you and how maybe I was all you were saying I was, maybe I could be loved. Maybe I deserved to be loved. By you.”

Cecil drew Carlos close to him. He wrapped his arms and tentacles around Carlos and held on. Carlos cried again on the Cecil’s chest until there was nothing left.

Cecil lifted Carlos’ head so he could look directly into his eyes, “You are perfect Carlos, my amazing sweet lovely Carlos. You deserve all the happiness and bliss you can get in this life. If anything it is me who should be lucky, nay privileged, to share this existence with you. Anyone who tells you different doesn’t deserve to walk the same earth as you.”

Carlos smiled and lent his forehead on Cecil’s and whispered, “Thank you.”

“I think it’s a certain scientist’s bedtime.” Cecil gently teased. As if on cue, Carlos let out a big yawn. Cecil smiled fondly and gently tugged a now-sleepy Carlos to the bedroom, undressed him and put him to their bed. Sitting on his side of the bed, Cecil leaned over and sifted his hand through Carlos’ hair, playing with those beautiful, perfect strands.

“You’re not coming to bed?” Carlos muttered, even as he pushed his head into Cecil’s hand, getting more comfortably. 

“Not yet, I have to do the dishes. You know how the faceless old woman gets when we leave dishes about.”

“She steals your ties.” Carlos chuckled.

They were silent for a moment. Then Cecil took a deep breath and asked, “Carlos, what brought this on? There wasn’t a scheduled worst nightmare that I know of.” 

“You described a man today that fit his description. Then I looked out to the park and he was just standing there. I guess I panicked and didn’t trust myself alone with him.”

Cecil kissed his forehead, “You’re safe now. Go to sleep I will be back shortly.”

Carlos pulled the blankets up and closed his eyes. Cecil stayed with him until Carlos’ breathing settled. He moved to the kitchen to find the dishes had already been put away. 

Cecil pulled out his phone, “Mayor? I think we are overdue for a public sacrifice don’t you think?”

~~~  
The next morning Cecil drove Carlos to Town Hall to fill out all the paper work. Carlos seemed more relaxed when it was all signed. Carlos thanked them for getting it done so quickly and with minimal bloodshed.

Cecil parked outside Carlos’ lab, “I hope you’re feeling better today.”

Carlos leaned in for a kiss, “I am, thanks to you. Why don’t you meet me here after work and we can eat at Big Rico’s tonight, to make up for dinner yesterday?”

“That sound like an excellent idea, sweet Carlos.” Cecil returned the kiss. 

Carlos started to get out of the car when he paused, “The bloodstones have extra blood on them today. Was there a ritual done last night?”

Cecil nodded, “Yes, one lucky someone was sacrificed to the goddess Alexia who takes the broken and weary souls away from things that cause them harm and into her bosom for safe keeping.”

Carlos continued to stare the stones, “Who… who was the one chosen one?”

“I don’t know some guy from out of town. I will have to look at the report for his name that is most likely on the desk at work.”

Carlos smiled at him, “Cecil… you know what, never mind. I’ll see you tonight.” Carlos got out of the car and moved around it to get to the sidewalk. He knocked on Cecil’s window and Cecil wound it down. Carlos reached in and grabbed Cecil’s tie to pull him in for another kiss.

“Thank you, my wonderful Cecil.” And with that Carlos opened the door to his lab and went in. 

If it wasn’t for one of the Sherriff’s Secret Police, Cecil might have still been there, gazing at the door till it was time for dinner.

~~~  
“Happy Second Anniversary, my precious, perfect Carlos.” Cecil slid a box over the table.

“Cecil, I thought we said we weren’t doing gifts, now I feel bad.” Carlos opened the box. 

Inside there where two identical watches, “They hold perfect time with each other. I know that time doesn’t work the same as you’re used to but now we can keep that same time so you’ll never be late to any of your appointments.”

A single tear rolled down Carlos’ face, “Thank you,” he whispered. Cecil only continued beaming at his flawless Carlos.

They do not know how long they stayed there holding hands, exchanging soft kisses. But then again, time was not that important anymore, not when they are together, together forever in Night Vale.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I didn't get many of the bonus points in


End file.
